Amerigroup and Simply Healthcare Launch Effort to Help Miami Teens Engage in Healthy Lifestyles, Reduce Obesity and Prepare for Academic Success | Business Wire

MIAMI–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Amerigroup Florida and Simply Healthcare Plans, leading providers of

Florida Medicare and Medicaid managed care services, have joined the

City of Miami as sponsors of iDance Miami, an after-school dance and

health education program for Miami youth ages 13-17. Teens enrolled in

the 10 week program will be provided transportation to one of eight city

parks, where they will form dance teams and work with professional

instructors to prepare to showcase their acquired skills during the Hip

Hop for Health Showcase—an event that draws spectators from all of

Miami-Dade and surrounding counties. Participating youth will also

receive nutritional and healthy lifestyles education to improve eating

habits while improving dance performance. The program launches on March

24 at the Little Haiti Cultural Center with Miami Dade College, which

has joined the effort to offer a college readiness conference for

participating youth and their families.

“Innovative approaches to engaging youth in healthy, active lifestyles,

such as iDance Miami, can help us make a dramatic impact on reducing

childhood obesity rates and improving future health outcomes,” said

Lourdes Rivas, Amerigroup and Simply Healthcare Medicaid plan president.

“It’s common to hear about deteriorating health trends among our youth,

such as inactivity that leads to chronic disease, so we are committed to

taking action that puts our kids on a path to a healthier future.”

A Florida Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted by Miami-Dade County in

2013 indicated that 9 percent of the county’s high school students were

obese, and 19 percent did not participate in at least 60 minutes of

physical activity on at least one weekday. The numbers were even higher

in African American and Hispanic communities, where nearly 40 percent of

children are overweight or obese.

“Thanks to Amerigroup and Simply Healthcare’s support, we can engage

approximately 120 – 160 Miami teens in at least four hours a week of

fun, energetic physical activity and nutritional education that can make

a big difference in improving health and self-confidence,” said Zhaoming

Guan, City of Miami superintendent of recreation. “Through this program,

we are able to provide an activity that teens are interested in and help

to exchange unhealthy habits for an active lifestyle that the

participants can adopt for lifelong benefits.”

The program will encourage youth, their families and friends to make

healthy habit and lifestyle changes. Transportation to weekly activities

and the culminating dance showcase will be provided for youth to and

from each of the eight City of Miami host parks. Since physical activity

and nutritional habits will both be a focus during the program, pre- and

post-assessments will help participants track metrics, including: the

total number of hours each participant spends dancing in both organized

weekly practices and at-home practice; healthy changes in eating habits;

and dance performance improvements. ChooseMyPlate.gov will help

participants identify nutrition improvement opportunities. Nutritional

snacks will be provided to youth during each practice, and the program

will include several lessons on nutritional education. The program will

be offered from 6 to 8 p.m. – hours of the day when teens tend to get in

trouble and most of the youth delinquency tends to occur.

There is no cost to teens and their families to participate and

opportunities to enroll are still available by contacting the City of

Miami Parks at 305-416-1300 or visiting www.miamigov.com/parks.

About Amerigroup Florida and Simply Healthcare Plans

Amerigroup Florida and Simply Healthcare Plans are managed health care

providers that serve Medicaid, Florida Healthy Kids, Long-Term Care

(LTC) and Medicare program members in Florida. Through our Clear Health

Alliance organization, we also serve Floridians who are eligible for

HIV/AIDS Medicaid specialty health plan services. Together, we serve

more than 600,000 Floridians. Across the nation, our family of health

plans serves more than 40 million members, and 1 in 8 Americans is

served by our family of companies. Our health plan members are assured

care that is not only accessible, but also accountable, comprehensive,

integrated and patient-centered. Each and every day, members of our team

can be found in Florida communities, listening to our members,

interacting with our health care providers and partnering with

community-based organizations to execute health education initiatives.

Our goal is to ensure members and entire communities are empowered to

become active participants in their health care and sustain healthy

lifestyles. To learn more about Amerigroup Florida, visit www.myamerigroup.com/FL.

To learn more about Simply Healthcare Plans, visit www.simplyhealthcareplans.com.

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